Chapter 15

    Arnav was feeling more nervous than a fifth-grader on his speech day. His heartbeat quickened as the time was nearing to 12.30 pm. He came half an hour ahead the schedule. He did not want her to wait for him. When the waiter approached him to place the order, he asked him to wait for his signal to take the order. It was 10 minutes past 12.30. She was not here yet. He glanced at the entrance once again and saw her entering the restaurant. 

    As Khushi approached his table, her smell and sight mesmerized his senses. She still had the same effect oh him, Did she also feel the same? He wondered.  Unknowingly he rose from his seat and looking at her without blinking his eyes. She was wearing a full length dress with netted sleeves. Her long hair was cut in layers.  Her face reflected confidence.  His gaze dropped to her waist, what even more surprising was her slight weight gain. 

His observation of changes in her was interrupted by her voice.

"I am sorry for being late.. " She apologized in a formal way.

"It's ok.. not a problem"  He gave a small smile which was not returned back by her.

He pulled out a chair for her and she sat on it placing her clutch on the table. They placed their order and looked at each other , both of them did not know how to start the conversation. 

" Khushi...  Kaise ho tum.. ?" He asked her after a while. 

"I am good.. pretty good actually.." She answered casually.

"I can see that, you became more healthy than before. I am glad that you are doing good. "

    Khushi observed his expressions keenly. He was surprisingly calm.  Maybe he want to be friends with her just like he was with all his ex-girlfriends. He might have added her name also to the 'meant nothing ' list of his exes. Maybe he was here to apologize to her just to get rid of the guilt he was feeling, just like he did with Lavanyaji. Whatever his reason was She did not care. She was here for her own reasons. 

"I am sorry Khushi.. really sorry.. for leaving you like that"

    Hearing his apology she came out of her thoughts. His voice was weighted with some emotion which she could not identify. She swallowed the lump formed in her throat. He did not mean it Khushi... He is not a man of his words, don't let his drama affect you. She reminded herself.

"I was not so desperate to hear your apology. I did not come here for that. It does not matter if you apologize or not, it won't change the past. And you don't have to carry the burden of guilt with you, I am living a better phase of my life now . "

    Arnav was taken back by her directness. She has changed a lot. He can see a strong and poised lady before him. She did not look away whenever she talked. His lost his naive and bubbly Khushi somewhere. He couldn't read this new one.. 

   Waiter brought the starters and served it. He gestured her to start and stole glances at her in between. After that he kept their past out of their conversation and asked about her job, vacation etc.. She replied him keeping her answers short and straight. 

    Khushi waited until the main course to finish to initiate the conversation about Muskaan. When they were almost done with the main course , She started.

"Actually, I had a reason to meet you here today. There is something you should know"

He stopped eating and looked at her in confusion. She continued by resting both her elbows on the table.

 

"I have a daughter, means we both have a daughter together.  She is 2 years old now. "

She waited for Arnav's reaction to continue but nothing came. He was sitting there like a bloody mountain.. stone faced. 

" Di, and Jiju didn't tell you anything because I did not want them to. And don't think that I want your money using my kid as a tool. We don't want anything from you. I am perfectly capable of taking care of my daughter. I just want my kid to know her father, but only if you also want the same. If you don't want to accept her, that is also fine with me, we can forget about this conversation" 

" Khushi..  we.. we have a daughter? "  He was stammering and eyes were filled with unshed tears. Khushi did not expect him to react emotionally.  She wondered why she had the sudden urge to know what he was thinking at the moment. 

"Yes.. Her name is Muskaan.. So my point was if you want to co-exist as a parent to her, then I don't have any objection. But that doesn't change anything between us.  "

Than waiter brought freshly made jilebes which was ordered by Arnav for her.

"You can take it back, I don't eat jilebes anymore" He knew the later part was directed to him. She stood up grabbing her clutch.

" If you wish to meet her, you can call me and come. I should go now.. Thanks for the lunch. " 

With that she left the restaurant without turning back. Arnav slumped against the chair and closed his eyes.

........................................

"Khushi said she left the restaurant before 3 hours. Did you try his mobile" Payal asked.

"I tried many times , It's switched off."  Aksah's concern was evident in his voice. 

"Akash .. Maybe he want some space .. He will come around... Don't worry." 

    Akash waited for Arnav until evening but he did not turn up. His bhai was not good at handling big revelations. When he came to know about Shyam's truth, he blackmailed Khushi into a contract marriage. When Garima's truth was revealed he left Khushi at the mandap and ran away. Now what his bhai was up to? 

    After another one hour he heard sound of a car entering his courtyard. He hurriedly went towards the front door and saw his bhai was throwing up leaning by the courtyard wall. He rushed to his side and rubbed his back in a comforting way. After helping Arnav to change his clothes, he put him to the bed. 

...................................

Next morning when Arnav came down for breakfast by 10 am, Akash was waiting for him in the living room. They ate breakfast together in silence. 

"You shouldn't have waited for me to eat the breakfast" Arnav tried to make a conversation with him. 

Akash did not reply anything. He finished his breakfast and stood up.

"Bhai please come to the study, we need to talk."

When Arnav entered the study he saw Akash was waiting for him. With his body language Arnav understood he was angry. 

"What's gotten into you bhai?" 

Arnav did not expect his little brother to question him like a parent.

"Akash.. woh when I heard about... my .. my daughter.. " Arnav did not know how to explain his thoughts.

" And you could not handle it.  Running away from truth is not a solution for anything. When I took your clothes out of your bag, I saw sleeping pills in it. since when you started taking those pills bhai? And since when you started consuming alcohol? " 

Akash was literally shouting at him .  He did not get proper sleep in the last 3 years.  As a refugee he was taking sleeping pills.

"3 years..." 

"You are taking the sleeping pills since 3 years when you had an option to make peace with the truth and get a peaceful sleep. What exactly are doing with your life bhai?" 

Akash saw the defeated reaction on his face. 

"I don't know Akash.. When I came to know about my.. my daughter I realized the depth of the damage I caused Khushi. My daughter will also hate me for doing those horrible things to her mother just like I hate my father. I just proved that I am my father's son.I never wanted to become like my father, but ended up like him. I hate myself for that.."

Akash shook his head disapprovingly. This was not going anywhere.His bhai needs to getting a grip.

"Stop making excuses bhai. Whatever happened has nothing to do with your blood. It was you who choose to be bitter after your mother's death. It was you who choose to leave Khushi. Now please don't repeat the same mistake again. Tell me something honestly bhai.. Do you want Khushi by your side or you want to live like this for the rest of your life ?"

"Of course I want her by my side. "

"Then go and get her. What is stopping you? "

"She hates me Akash. She has moved on.."

"Don't judge her again bhai. You did not call her even once in the past 3 years. And you expect her to be normal with you? For once please think from her side. you blackmailed her into a contract marriage and you made her life a hell. She forgave you easily. But there you ditched her again. She loved you bhai. But you mercilessly broke her heart again and again. You cannot expect her to for give easily every time. It is going to be difficult but not impossible. But if you are not sure she is the one for you then please don't try to meet her again."

"What are you saying Akash. She is the only one for me. She is my life."

Arnav's reply was immediate.  Akash placed his hand on his shoulder and said in a calm voice. 

" Bhai do you know why Di did not say yes to Vijay until now? He proposed her 3 times in the last 2 years. Every time Di asked him for more time. Do you know why me and Payal did not become parents until now? We did not want to enjoy marital bliss when you and Khushi were miserable. Khushi and you deserve happiness bhai. Muskaan deserves a father's love. Go and chase your love bhai.. Make everything alright. Bohot hogaya ye sab. "

Love,

ST